Kohavi issued a stark warning that efforts by the new government to split off parts of the responsibilities from the defense minister would damage the IDF’s command structure and hamper its battle readiness.
His comments drew a harsh response from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Religious Zionism party, who accused Kohavi of trying to lay the groundwork for a political career.
In wide-ranging interviews, the military chief also detailed Israel’s ongoing efforts to combat Iran’s nuclear program and efforts to expand control across the region, and the challenge of foiling Palestinian terror.
“The IDF is responsible for everything happening in Judea and Samaria, and that’s how it needs to stay,” Kohavi told the Ynet news site, using the Biblical names for the West Bank. READ MORE
